is a Japanese film and literary critic, as well as a professor at

Rikkyo University , also known as Saint Paul's University, is a private university, in Ikebukuro, Tokyo, Japan. Rikkyo is known as one of the six leading universities in the field of sports in Tokyo (東京六大学 "Big Six" — Rikkyo University, University of ...

. After graduation from the

University of Tokyo , abbreviated as or UTokyo, is a public research university located in Bunkyō, Tokyo, Japan. Established in 1877, the university was the first Imperial University and is currently a Top Type university of the Top Global University Project b ...

, he worked for the Asahi Newspaper company before leaving in 1972 to become a critic. He was one critic who helped to discover the talents of

Haruki Murakami is a Japanese writer. His novels, essays, and short stories have been bestsellers in Japan and internationally, with his work translated into 50 languages and having sold millions of copies outside Japan. He has received numerous awards for his ...

. He won the Suntory Prize for his book ''Taishū Genei'' in 1991, the Yomiuri Literature Award for ''Kafū and Tokyo'' in 1997, and the Itō Sei Literature Award for ''Hakushu Bōkei'' in 2012. Around 1970 he became close to a student radical when covering him as a

journalist A journalist is an individual that collects/gathers information in form of text, audio, or pictures, processes them into a news-worthy form, and disseminates it to the public. The act or process mainly done by the journalist is called journalis ...

. When that student attacked an officer of the

Japanese Self-Defence Force The Japan Self-Defense Forces ( ja, 自衛隊, Jieitai; abbreviated JSDF), also informally known as the Japanese Armed Forces, are the unified ''de facto''Since Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution outlaws the formation of armed forces, th ...

Asaka, Saitama 260px, Pond at JGSDF Camp Asaka 260px, former IJA Officer Preparatory School at JGSDF Camp Asaka is a city located in Saitama Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 143,195 and a population density of 7800 persons per km² ...

, killing him, Kawamoto was arrested for spoliation of evidence. He was convicted and given a sentence of probation. He was fired from the Asahi Newspaper company. Thereafter, he became a

freelance writer ''Freelance'' (sometimes spelled ''free-lance'' or ''free lance''), ''freelancer'', or ''freelance worker'', are terms commonly used for a person who is self-employed and not necessarily committed to a particular employer long-term. Freelance w ...

Nobuhiro Yamashita is a Japanese film director. Career Born in Aichi Prefecture, Yamashita attended Osaka University of Arts where he worked on Kazuyoshi Kumakiri's '' Kichiku Dai Enkai''. His graduation film ''Hazy Life'', took the Off Theatre Competition Grand ...

's film, '' My Back Page'', is based on Kawamoto's essay about this affair.

Works

*''Taisho illusions'' 大正幻影 *''My Back Page: a 60's story''　マイ・バック・ページある60年代の物語

References

Living people Japanese film critics Japanese literary critics 1944 births University of Tokyo alumni Rikkyo University faculty {{Japan-academic-bio-stub